Finishing machine for ornamental chains



Nov. 23, 1948,

F. ARMBRUST FINISHING MACHINE FOR ORNAMENTAL CHAINS Filed May 16, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet l 3 Wu Mo Nov. 23, 1948. F. ARMBRUST 2,454,299

FINISHING MACHINE FOR OIKNAMENTAL CHAINS Filed Ma 16, 1947 s Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 23, 1948. F. ARMBRUST 2, 4, I

FINISHING MACHINE FOR ORNAMENTAL CHAINS Filed May 16, 1947 s Sheets-Sheet s Patented Nov. 23, 1948 FINISHING MACHINE FOR ORNAMENTAL CHAINS Ferdinand A'rmbrusti Hoxie, R. 1., assignor to Armbrust Chain Company, a corporation of Rhode Island Application May-16, 1947,"Serial No. 748,481

The present invention relates to chain machines, and has particular reference to a novel construction forafinishing machine. o

The principal object of the invention is to provide a machine for flat finishing ornamental chains and the like. v

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatusfor finishingboth sides of an endless length of chain in a continuous process.

Still other objects of the present invention are to provide a finishing machine which is simple in construction, is easily assembled and maintained, and has a long and effective life.

With the above and other objects and advantageous features in view, the invention consists of a novel arrangement of parts more fully disclosed in the detailed description following, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and more specifically defined in the claims appended thereto.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of an illustrative machine embodying the invention, parts being omitted;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the machine;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation thereoiparts being broken away;

Fig. 4 is an elevation of the other side thereof;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the guide roll carriage;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view of one guide r011 View of the cover therethe finishing wheel;

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the helical guide;

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the friction roller;

Fig. 12 is a View of a curb chain section before filing; and v Fig. 13 is a similar view of the chain section after filing.

In manufacturing ornamental jewelry chains, it is desirable to enhance the ornamentationIof the chain by finishing the links to achieve a flattened effect, this finishing being particularly applicable to curb chains. The flattened effect has heretofore been achieved by hand or by a mechanical process involving the use of multiple machines, and the present invention is designed to provide an inexpensive machine which will flat finish an endless length of chain in one continuous operation. 7

4 Claims. (01. 51 137) a an efiective friction grip.

Referring to the drawings illustrating the invention, and particularly Figs. 1 and 4 thereof, the machine is preferably mounted on a base or table 29 of generally rectangular shape. A chain 2| is provided which is fed into the apparatus from asource of supply not shown. and preferably positioned below the level of the base 2|]. The chain is fed into the machine from the lower left hand corner, looking at Fig. 1, and passes over aguide rod 22 which is mounted on an adjustable bar support 23 bolted to the edge of the table 20. The chain passes through a tensioning device 24 which is mounted on one side of the support 23 and is adapted to frictionally releasably permit the chain to be pulled into the'machine under tension, and around an idling pulley 25 and over a guide pulley26, which is mounted for both vertical and radial adjustment;

The chain then passes under a finishing wheel 21 which is adapted to rotate in a direction opposite the path of movement of the chain and to finish the top of the chain as it passes beneath the wheel. The chain then passes over a second guide'pulley 28, and across to a friction roller 29 provided with a grooved surface 30 which is adapted to frictionally engage the chain as it is wound thereon. The roller 29 pulls the chain 2| through the machine counter to the movement of the finishing wheel 21, the tensioning device 24 resisting the movement of the chain and providing a suitable tension.

" A helical guide 3| is loosely mounted on the friction roller 29 and provides a spiral chain track which causes the chain to follow a helical path on the roller 29 and come off the end of the roller after making enough turns to provide A sufiicient length of chain is now permitted to extend downwardly into a container or receptacle on the floor (not shown) and the chain is then fed across a second guide bar32', positioned at the lower right hand corner of the machine as shown in Fig. 1. The chain is passed over the guide bar 32 with the already finished side on top. The guide bar 32 is fixed to anadj u'stable bar support 33, bolted to the side of the ,table 2 D,"similarly to the bar support 23. The

chain now passes through a second tensioning device 34, similar to the tensioning device 24, and around an idler pulley 35 and a guide pulley 36, similar to the idler pulley 25 and guide pulley 26. This brings the unfiled side of the chain upwardly, and the chain now passes beneath a second finishing wheel3l, which is like the wheel 21, and is also rotated in a direction opposite the and 36, '38.

path of movement of the chain. The chain passes over a guide pulley 38, similar to the guide pulley 28, and is wound on a friction roller 39 which is similar to the friction roller 29, and has a grooved surface 40 formed by a loosely mounted helical guide 4|, similar to the guide 3|, and providing a-spiral chain track.

The chain is evenly finished and the finishing wheels 2'! and 31 are prevented from Wearing along a fixed groove by imparting a reciprocating motion to the chain as it passes beneath each finishing wheel, as hereinafter explained.

The power mechanism The machine is driven from a source of motive power 42 which is supported on a frame 43 on the table 20, see Fig. 4. The motor 42 drives a sprocket wheel 44 and chain 45 which in turn drives a sprocket wheel 46 mounted on a shaft 4.! which is journaled in spaced bearing brackets 48 and 49 extending from a base 50 mounted on the table 29. The finishing wheels 21, 37 are keyed to the ends of the shaft 41, and includes a base portion 'of soft felt, having a central opening 52 which fits over a boss 53 on one side flange 54 of the finishing Wheel, see Fig. 9. A second flange 55 is provided, and the two flanges have central openings 56, 5! to permit the assembled wheels to be slipped onto reduced ends 58, 59 of the shaft 41 for abutting against the larger diameter central portion, washers 6|) and nuts 6| being threaded 'on the reduced shaft-ends -to lock the finishing wheels in place. An abrasive belt 62 extends over each felt base portion 5! between the wheel flanges, and is given proper tension by an idler pulley 63 which is rotatably mounted on a shaft 64 mounted on a rod 65 pivotally secured to one upright leg or column 66 of the motor support frame 43. A tension spring 61 is secured to the lower end of the rod 65 and its operative end is attached to the frame 43 to maintain the belt 62 at proper tension. The sprocket wheel 44 is of larger-diameter than the sprocket wheel 46 to rotate the finishing wheels at higher peripheral speed than the linear speed of the contacted chain.

'The shaft 68 of the motor 42 is connected through a coupling69 to a gear reduction box of standard construction, which is also mounted on the frame 43, as shown in Fig. 4, and actuates a V-pulley H which is connected by a belt 12 to a larger pulley 13 mounted on the end of the 'cross shaft 74, see Fig. 1, which carries the friction rollers 29 and 39. The belt tension is adjusted by an idler pulley which is rotatably mounted on a slotted bar 16 slidably secured to the frame 43. This arrangement results in a very slow rotary motion of the friction rollers 29 and 38, as compared to the high speed rotary .motion of the finishing Wheels.

The chain reciprocating mechanism The mechanism for reciprocating the chain under the finishing wheels includes a guide roll carriage TI which is preferably made in two sections l8, 19 secured together, as illustrated in Fig. 5, the carriage being mounted for reciprocating movement on brackets 88 which extend from the frame 50,; the parallel upper bars 8| pass over the brackets and are slidably secured thereto by overlapping plates 82, as shown in Fig. 6, and the ends 83 carry adjustable slotted arms 84 which carry the pulleys 26, 28 The idling pulleys 25 and '35 are 4 rotatably mounted on extensions 85 at the rear of the ends 83, see Fig. 5.

The carriage TI is reciprocated through an adjustable link 86, see Fig. 2, which is pivoted to a yoke 81 fastened to one end 83 of the carriage 11, as shown in Fig. 5, and the other end of the link 86 is pivoted to an eccentric 88 which is mounted at the-end of a shaft 89 at the side of the machine, which is driven through gear 99, gear 9|, stub shaft 92 and bevel gears 93, 94 from the shaft 14. Rotation of the eccentric 88 oscillates the link 86 and reciprocates the carriage TI and moves the chain 2| across the face of both finishing wheels.

The tensioning mechanism The friction rollers 29 and 39 are both keyed to the shaft 14 and rotate simultaneously and at the same speed, and the helical guides 3| and 4| are preferably loosely mounted on the rollers and are made of rectangular wiring bent into a helix of slightly larger diameter than the friction rollers, thus forming spiral chain tracks; the guides have one end 95 extended downwardly to abut the edge of the table 20, see Fig. 2, to prevent rotation of the guides while the friction rollers are rotating.

The tensioning devices 24 and 34 are shown in detail in Figs. '7 and 8, and comprise a base portion 96, preferably of fiber, provided with an upper longitudinal channel 91 through which the chain 2| passes. A T-shaped cover 98 of the same material is placed over thebase portion 96 with its central depending tongue 99, which is slightly longer than the depth of the channel 91, extending into the channel 91. The cover 98 is held on, the base portion 96 by threaded rods I08 which extend through the cover and are threaded into the base, coil springs |8| being positioned between the top of the cover and end nuts 12 on the rods to resiliently adjustably hold the cover on the base portion. As the chain passes through the channel 91, it is resiliently and frictionally retarded by the depending tongues 99 of the covers to maintain the chain taut.

The invention thus provides a power connec tion between the power shaft and the finishing Wheel shaft, whereby the finishing wheel is positively driven in correspondence with the motor speed. The preferred drive is through sprocket wheel arrangements, but belt drives may be used for light finishing work. The chain feed is driven through the medium of a reduction gearing-and a belt driven pulley, the belt being maintained under suitable tension, whereby the chain is pulled into contacting engagement with the face of the finishing wheel, the pulling being sufficiently flexible to permit slight variationsin the speed of feeding and thus compensate for variations in chain conditions and the like.

Preferably, the mechanism for reciprocating the fed chain while it is in contacting engagement with the finishing surface of the finishing wheel, is operated in timed relation to the feeding of the chain, whereby the speed of feeding and the reciprocation correspond. Further, the finishing wheel preferably utilizes a flexible finishing belt under regulated tension, thus providing longer life for the finishing surface and obviating the need for frequent replacements.

'While I have described a specific embodiment of the invention, it is obvious that changes inthe size, shape and material of the partsmay be made to suit the requirements for different finishing machines for ornamental chains, with'out departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a chain finishing machine, a power shaft,

a finishing wheel shaft, a finishing wheel keyed to said finishing wheel shaft, means for positively driving said finishing wheel shaft from said power shaft, a chain feed shaft, chain feeding means on said shaft, means for driving said chain feed shaft at a reduced speed from said power shaft, including a belt driven pulley, means for guiding a chain fed by said chain feeding means into contacting engagement with said finishing wheel, means for maintaining the guided chain under tension, and means for reciprocating the guiding means to move the contacting chain over the face of the finishing wheel.

2. In a chain finishing machine, a power shaft, a finishing wheel shaft, a finishing wheel keyed to said finishing wheel shaft, means for positively driving said finishing wheel shaft from said power shaft, a chain feed shaft, chain feeding means on said shaft, means for driving said chain feed shaft at a reducedspeed from said power shaft, means for guiding a chain fed by said chain feeding means into contacting engagement with said finishing wheel, means for maintaining the guided chain under tension, and means for reciprocating the guiding means to move the contacting chain over the face of the finishing wheel, said finishing wheel carrying a flexible finishing belt, and means for keeping said belt under tension.

3. In a chain finishing machine, a power shaft, a finishing wheel shaft, a finishing wheel keyed to said finishing wheel sh'aft, means for positively driving said finishing wheel shaft from said power shaft, a chain feed shaft, chain feeding means on said shaft, means for driving said chain feed shaft at a reduced speed from said power shaft, including a reduction gearing and a belt driven pulley, means for guiding a chain fed by said chain feeding means into contacting engagement with said finishing wheel, means for maintaining the guided chain under tension, and means for reciprocating the guiding means in timed relation to the chain feeding means to move the contacting chain over the face of the finishing wheel.

4. In a, chain finishing machine, a power shaft, a finishing wheel shaft, a finishing wheel keyed to said finishing wheel shaft, means for positively driving said finishin Wheel shaft from said power shaft, a chain feed shaft, chain feeding means on said shaft, means for driving said chain feed shaft at a reduced speed from said power shaft, including a reduction gearing and a belt driven pulley, means for guiding a chain fed by said chain feeding means into contacting engagement with said finishing wheel, means for maintaining the guided chain under tension, and means for reciprocating the guiding means in timed relation to the chain feeding means to move the contacting chain over the face of the finishing wheel, an idler pulley, a flexible finishing belt mounted on said idler pulley and said finishing wheel, and means for keeping said belt under tension.

FERDINAND ARMBRUST.

No references cited. 

